Alice Li
Information
My artwork for Motspur Park Gasworks Site will become a part of Kingston Museum’s Brill Collection. Each year, only three artists will be chosen for this award, which aims to document the changing landscape of the area and contribute to Kingston's history and art collection. These three works will be exhibited at the Kingston Museum for one year. I am honoured to have been selected for this project.
Motspur Park Gas Holders covers 2.5 hectares. The site is situated a five minute walk from Motspur Park train station and 15 minutes from Worcester Park train station. In the expansion of the London suburbs which took place in the 1920s and 30s, a gasworks with three storage tanks, each constructed at a different time, was built on this marooned spot, serving the suburbs for the next 80 years. These gasworks, unused for the last 20 years or so since gas was no longer stored in these huge tanks from the early 2000s, dominate the skyline with their very delicate metal lattice. It is impossible to get into the site. There are plans to develop the site for housing by Berkeley Homes. Thus this site will be radically changed as we find different uses for land. My painting record the view of the place before it was demolished.
Having asked the person in charge to select the composition for one of the sketches, I decided to use Procreate to draw the finished piece and Riso to print it. For the drawing, I chose a view looking through the equestrian centre at sunset. I combined the depiction of gas holders with the natural scenery of a spring day, including blooming flowers swaying in the wind, horses nibbling at the grass and a crow resting on the fence. By documenting these beautiful views, I hope that local residents will always have fond memories of this landscape.